who has an argo

[ICE KID]

I'm curious about this machine, is it cr@p, perfect but expensive, in between. If it floats that means I don't have to worry about losing it to the water, right(I wouldn't plan on taking it out on any thing under 6 inches) and it's ability to float means that less ice could support it correct. Is it better than a quad. Any more information is greatly appreciated

www.argoatv.com

[BIGCREW]

I had 1 years ago,it was a bit tight for me but im 6-2 250 lbs but it was ok just make sure your bilge pump works,almost lost it due to that.new ones are most likely better now,I would want a set of tracks though.

[CMMahy]

I don't own one (yet), but have driven a few on flat ground and loved them. Just keep up on the routine maintenance and they seem to run forever. Personally I'm already saving my pennies for a shiny new Avenger 8x8 with either rubber tracks or these bad boys:

http://www.escargotracks.com/

[ice dawg]

I know a guy that has an Argo with four wheels per side and tracks. It also has a fiberglass cab from front to back. He has had it for about 15 years and loves the thing. One thing that I like about it is that he drives it onto his trailer, sets the park break, locks the ramp in place and drives off. I have never seen him with any kind of straps holding it on the trailer.

[alcesalces4]

They float but there is still a good chance you would sink it if you broke through unless all the wheels broke through at the same time. They float but not well if one side is on hard ground and the other is not.

Great machine. i would have a new avenger if i could afford it.

[BlackRhino]

Whats an avenger 8x8 go for?  Also, would you think that if you were crossing a pressure crack, maybe 100 yds wide, could you climb up on the other side?

[CMMahy]

Around here they start at about 18k just for the unit, no accessories. Apparently you can climb up on the ice fairly easily, the technique is to get the wheels on one side up on the ice, then you can use those wheels to pivot the rest of the unit up on the ice. Haven't tried it myself, but apparently these things are used for thin ice rescue quite often.

[alcesalces4]

Not sure i am understanding you correctly with the "pivoting"  thing I am very doubtfull this would work. They are not that stable in the water so when one side is floating and the other is on hard ground they tend to want to take water on. They swim well enought to move (slowly)but thats it.

They will haul lots of gear and go through a quite a bit of snow. Plus you can put a cab on them to keep you alittle warmer. I think by the time you rigged one up with tracks, winch, windshield, heater kit and canopy you would be close to 30 000 cdn (or over).

[Lifeguard]

My father had an argo years ago, and and a bunch of my uncles did as well(8 or 9 machines total).  We used them for hunting moose.  All of them were from the early 80's, and let me tell you, the older ones were CRAP!!!  They would go through inbelievable terrain, and haul stuff like you wouldn't believe, but the number of transmissions, engines, chains, bearing, sprockets, axles, etc. that we went through was amazing.  We had a general rule, if you drive it for 1 hour, then you fix it for 3.  Maybe the new ones are better, but you couldn't pay me enough to have an older one.  In fact my Dad gave his away after transmission number 4 went.  They were nice for late season ice fishing though.  We would drive out on the ice and if you broke through, you would just get everyone to pile into the back so the front would come up and drive back on to the ice.  Once you got to where you wanted to fish, just drill holes beside the argo and sit in it and fish.  If they built one that was reliable, I'd have one in a heartbeat, but the only way I think I would try one now is if it was full hydraulic.  We only have one left in the family now, and he's scared to take it out of the garage because it might break and cost more money for repairs.  Maybe in the snow and on the ice they wouldn't be bad, but working them hard in the swamp and bog, the older ones would not stand up.

[alcesalces4]

My old man had one back in the 70s  as well and it was supper high maintenance. Driving for an hour and fix for three was pretty close to the truth but back then there were no quads so the Argo and similar type units were the only game in town.  You sure didn't see as many people in the bush back then  . The new Argos are much much better but they are still higher maintenance than quads but they will go and haul what a quad could never. I would still be pretty torn if i had to chose between a snowmobile and an Argo for my ice fishing machine, as i like to jump from one lake to next and the quickness of the snowmobile makes this easy. However if you know where you are going the Argo can get you and a couple of friends to your spot with a heated cab and haul a pile of gear in the process.